What is Fracking?

Fracking (short for hydraulic fracturing) is a drilling technique which involves injecting toxic chemicals, sand, and millions of gallons of water under high pressure directly into the ground to release natural gas in shale deposits. This mixture of toxins and sediment, along with any natural gas released, can leak to the surface and enter rivers and groundwater in the process.

Some of the largest shale deposits of this kind are found in the Marcellus Shale, a huge geological formation underneath Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania as well as New York – oil & gas companies are eager to exploit it.